Near Love Stories
by J. B. Hogan

She took the book from him and immediately opened it. He just watched her pretty face. She thumbed through the pages slowly.

"Will you sign it for me?" she asked, pushing the book back towards him.

"You're kidding, right?"

"No, please. Sign it."

"For heaven's sake," he said, reaching in his shirt pocket for a pen. While he was signing the book, her manager reappeared at the table.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Lisa," the manager said, "but there are some more folks waiting to see you. Mr. Hays, you'll forgive us."

"Oh … sure," Hays said, handing the book back to Lisa.

"Look, Brian," she said to her manager, "Mr. Hays gave me a copy of his new novel."

"J.D.," Hays said, "please call me J.D. or Justin."

"Well, J.D.," Brian said, "we do have to go."

"Of course," Hays said, rising from his seat as Lisa stood. "Thank you so much for your time. It was really nice of you."

"Thank you," Lisa said, holding up the book. Hays smiled at her.

"Well, goodbye," he said, nodding to Brian and shaking Lisa's hand.

"Goodbye," she said, "I enjoyed our lunch."

"Me, too," Hays said, "it was my pleasure."

As Lisa and her manager walked away from him through the restaurant, Hays stood where he was, watching them - her. To his surprise, just before Lisa got to the front door, she stopped and walked back towards him.

"Are you coming to the concert tonight?" she asked when she was just a few feet from him.

"I was hoping to."

"Would you like to watch from backstage? You could hang with Brian."

"Oh, my gosh, yes," he said, making no attempt to hide his excitement. "That would be fantastic."

"Alright," she laughed. "Come a little early and look for me or Brian. We'll get you a pass."

"Okay," he said. "I will. Thank you."

She waved goodbye and hurried off. When she and Brian had left, Hays grabbed his ragged briefcase and made his way towards to the cashier.

"Yes," he said under his breath as he bounced along. "Yes."

*    *    *

After the concert, which was extraordinary and well received, he remained backstage among but not part of the post-show excitement and energy that the band and its entourage shared. The players laughed and joked, wiped the sweat from their hands and faces, met with their adoring fans.